Sean Manaea will start Game 2 of the NLCS against the Dodgers
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza says that Kodai Senga will start Game 1 of the National League Championship Series on Sunday against the Los Angeles Dodgers, per Laura Albanese.
In addition, Mendoza said that Sean Manaea will start Game 2 on Monday.
According to Albanese, Mendoza said Senga will pitch “three innings or so” as he continues to ramp up from his calf injury suffered on July 27. He doesn’t know who will take the bulk innings in Game 1 following Senga, but relief options David Peterson (who followed Senga in Game 1 of the NLDS against the Phillies), Tylor Megil and José Buttó are all available options.
Senga gave up one run and struck out three batters over two innings in his MLB playoff debut against the Phillies on Oct. 5, giving up a leadoff home run to Kyle Schwarber but allowing only one baserunner after. Peterson pitched three shutout innings to follow Senga in the Mets’ 6-2 win.
Senga starting Game 1 of the Championship Series potentially lines him up for a more extended Game 5 start, if necessary, and possibly a full start in Game 1 of the World Series if the Mets advance.
Manaea has pitched 12 innings in two postseason starts so far, giving up two runs and six hits in a 5-3 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 2 of the Wild Card Series, and then giving up just one run over seven innings in the team’s 7-2 Game 3 win over the Phillies in the Division Series—arguably the most impressive game from a Mets pitcher so far this postseason.
Manaea led all Mets pitchers in both Baseball Reference WAR (3.0) and FanGraphs WAR (2.8) in 2024. With Senga and Manaea slated for the first two games, all the front-line Mets starters are lined up to start on regular rest—though Mendoza has not indicated who would start Game 3 and beyond.